A media guide is a great way to help ensure that your wrestlers and team get the media coverage they deserve. Thanks to computers and word processing once the guide is created you 'll only have to do annual updates. Better yet, get students such as managers or journalism students to create and update the publication for you. Now is a good time to start. Your first attempt doesn't have to be much, just keep adding to it each year and before long you'll have an outstanding publication. Be sure to post it on a website in pdf format so that alumni and fans can have access to it. Examples of collegiate media guides include Oregon State and Iowa State. For ideas on dealing with the media go here. Below is an article that outlines the contents of a typical media guide.

Page 1. Provide the:

• Facts about the school: address; phone numbers; nickname SPARTANS; colors: BLUE AND WHITE; and enrollment.
• Facts about the school's athletic affiliations-Conference: EAST SUBURBAN
  CONFERENCE; District or Region: NORTHEAST DISTRICT; Division: DIVISION III; and State: member of OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
• List of School Administrators - Superintendent, Principal, Assistant Principal(s), Athletic Director, School Board President and Members, and Dean(s) of Students.
• Name of Booster Club President and Officers.
• School Logo.

Page 2. Provide a:

• Preview of the coming season.
• Wrestling schedule.

Page 3-4. Profile the:

• Head Coach and his background.
• Assistant Coaches, including middle school coaches, and their backgrounds.

Page 5-6. Profile:

• Team roster, beginning with senior wrestlers.
• Include the pictures of each senior and a photograph of the entire squad.

Page 7-9. List the:

• Top career wrestling records;
• The wrestlers selected as the Most Valuable Wrestler through the history of the program;
• The wrestlers selected team captains through the history of the program;
• Top ten record holders in takedowns, pins, near falls, escapes, reversals, and team points;
• Wrestlers who have gone onto compete in college;
• Conference champions - year by year;
• Sectional champions - year by year;
• District champions - year by year;
• Regional placers and champions - year by year;
• Qualifiers to the State Tournament - year by year;
• State placers and champions; and
• Team championships-conference, tournaments, etc.

Page 10. Profile the:

• Managers;
• Statisticians;
• Cheerleaders;
• Trainers.

Page 11. Conclude the media guide with:

• An overview of the high school-its academic
• Other extra-curricular programs (drama, student government, etc.),
• The composition of its student body,
• School's reputation for excellence.

Last page. Provide some informative details about:

• The sport of wrestling, such as the scoring system and/or
• How wrestlers qualify for the state tournament.

 
Keith Manos is the former Athletic Director and a coach of two sports at Richmond Heights (Ohio) High School. His latest books include 101 Ways to Motivate Athletes and 101 Wrestling Drills and Games.